Written Answers Friday 11 January 2008

Scottish Executive

2014 Commonwealth Games

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will encourage the involvement of social enterprises in accessing the commercial opportunities offered by the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Government is committed to launching a consultation on how to secure benefits from the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games within 100 days of the announcement that the bid was successful. This will include consultation on how best to ensure that social enterprises and businesses in Scotland can benefit from the commercial opportunities offered by the games.

Care of Elderly People

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when the national care standards for elderly people in care homes will be reviewed.

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to review and update the guidance on national care standards for elderly people in care homes.

Shona Robison: Section 5 of the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001 requires Scottish ministers to keep the National Care Standards under review. We are currently considering how best to do this.

  There is a procedure in place to amend the standards if this is required urgently because of changes, for example, in legislation or policy.

Environment

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what projects, plans and programmes are currently undergoing a strategic environmental assessment.

Michael Russell: A list of those Scottish Responsible Authorities and the projects, plans and programmes that they have submitted for consideration under Strategic Environmental Assessment is outlined in the following table.

  

 Responsible Authority
 Title of Project, Plan and Programme


 Aberdeen City Council
 City Master-planning Framework


 
 City Sports Strategy


 
 Core Paths Plan


 
 Corporate Plan


 
 Local Housing Strategy


 
 Local Transport Strategy


 
 National Conservation Strategy


 
 Sustainable Development Strategy


 Aberdeenshire Council
 Carbon Management Programme


 
 Coastal Flooding Policy Framework


 
 Core Paths Plan


 
 Economic Development Priorities


 
 Landscape Environment Improvement Strategy


 
 Locally Valued Landscapes


 
 Open Space Strategy


 
 Reducing Energy Demand of New Developments & Promoting Renewable Energy


 
 Rural Typologies


 
 Strategic Plan


 
 Structure Plan


 
 Town Housing Strategy


 Angus Council
 Carbon Management Programme


 
 Core Paths Plan


 Argyll and Bute Council
 Local Plan


 
 Local Transport Strategy


 Ayrshire Joint Structure Plan and Transportation Committee
 Local Biodiversity Action Plan 


 Cairngorms National Park Authority
 Core Paths Plan


 
 Forest and Woodland Framework


 
 Local Plan


 
 National Park Outdoor Access Strategy


 
 National Park Plan


 City of Edinburgh Council
 Core Paths Plan


 
 Freelands Road Development Brief


 
 Granton Waterfront Master Plan


 
 Local Plan


 
 Local Transport Strategy


 
 Meadowbank Development Brief


 
 North Sighthill Development Brief


 
 Port Edgar Development Brief


 
 Rural West Edinburgh Local Plan Alteration


 
 Salamander Street Development Brief


 
 St James Quarter Development Brief


 
 The City Centre Princes Street Development Framework


 Clackmannanshire Council
 Core Paths Plans


 
 Environment and Sustainability Framework


 
 Local Transport Strategy


 
 Open Space Strategy and Action Plan


 
 Outdoor Access Strategy


 
 Sustainability Strategy


 Communities Scotland
 Corporate Plan


 
 Sustainable Development Framework


 Deer Commission Scotland
 Corporate Plan 2005-2008 


 
 Strategy for Wild Deer


 Dumfries and Galloway Council
 Local Biodiversity Action Plan


 Dundee City Council
 Core Paths Plan


 
 Public Open Space Strategy


 East Ayrshire Council
 Core Paths Plan


 
 Cumnock Town Centre Regeneration Plan


 
 Leisure and Cultural Strategy


 
 Local Plan Alteration


 
 Local Transport Strategy


 
 Open Space Strategy


 
 Sustainable Development Strategy


 East Dunbartonshire Council
 Cemetery Development Plan


 
 Core Paths Plan


 
 Local Plan


 
 Local Transport Strategy and Air Quality Action Plan


 
 Tourism Strategy and Action Plan


 East Lothian Council
 Core Paths Plan


 
 Development Framework for Letham Mains Haddington


 
 Development Framework for Mains Farm, North Berwick


 
 Environment Strategy


 
 Local Biodiversity Action Plan


 East Renfrewshire Council
 Community Plan


 
 Core Paths Plan


 
 Local Plan


 
 Local Transport Strategy


 Falkirk Council
 Banknock Special Initiative for Residential Regeneration 


 
 Carbon Management Programme


 
 Local Plan


 
 Open Space Strategy


 
 Planning Brief Former Carrongrove Paper Mill Denny


 
 Sustainable Falkirk Strategy


 Fife Council
 Access Strategy Review


 
 Core Paths Plan


 
 Fife Matters - Finalised Fife Structure Plan 2006-2026.


 
 Kirkcaldy and Mid-Fife Local Plan


 
 Local Biodiversity Action Plan


 
 Renewable Energy Technologies other than Wind Energy and Wave Energy


 
 St Andrews and East Fife Local Plan


 Firth of Clyde Forum
 Firth Of Clyde Marine Spatial Plan


 Forestry Commission Scotland
 Forest Enterprise Scotland Forest District Strategic Plans


 Glasgow and Clyde Valley Structure Plan Committee
 Structure Plan


 Glasgow City Council
 City Plan


 
 Core Paths Plan


 
 Local Transport Strategy


 Highland and Island Enterprise
 Operational Plan 2007 - 2010


 Highlands and Islands Airport Ltd
 Corporate Plan 2005-2015


 Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership in Scotland
 Regional Transport Strategy


 Historic Scotland 
 Operational Policy Paper - Support for the Voluntary Sector


 
 Scottish Historic Environment Policy Series (SHEP)


 Inverclyde Council
 Core Paths Plan


 
 Local Plan Alteration 


 
 Riverside Inverclyde Urban Design Guidance


 Loch Lomond And The Trossachs National Park Authority
 National Park Plan


 Midlothian Council
 Core Paths Plan


 
 Corporate Strategy 2008-2011


 
 Local Plan


 Moray Council
 Development Plan


 
 Local Transport Strategy


 
 Renewable Energy Strategy


 North Ayrshire Council
 Ardeer Peninsula Masterplan


 
 Carbon Management Programme


 
 Community Learning and Development Plan


 
 Core Paths Plan


 
 Local Plan Alteration


 
 Local Transport Strategy


 North East Scotland Regional Transport Partnership 
 Regional Transport Strategy


 North Lanarkshire Council
 Core Paths Plan


 
 Local Plan


 
 Local Transport Strategy


 Orkney Island Council
 Arts Development Plan


 
 Economic Strategy 2007-2010 


 
 Heritage Development Plan


 
 Core Paths Plan


 
 Local Biodiversity Action Plan


 
 Local Transport Strategy


 
 Supplementary Planning Guidance for Onshore Wind Energy Development 


 Pentland Hills Regional Partnership
 New Pentland Hills Regional Park Plan


 Perth and Kinross Council
 Affordable Housing Guide


 
 Air Quality Action Plan


 
 Auchterarder Expansion Development Framework


 
 Black Sprout Wood


 
 Carbon Management Strategy & Implementation Plan (2007-2017)


 
 Core Paths Plan


 
 Council Drainage Policy


 
 Den of Alyth Management Plan 2007-2001


 
 Eastern Area Local Plan


 
 Flood Mitigation Schemes And Flood Studies


 
 Inner Tay Estuary Local Nature Reserve Draft Management Plan


 
 Pitlochry Conservation Area Appraisal


 
 Pitlochry, Blairgowrie and Blair Atholl Conservation Area Appraisals


 
 Structure Plan Alteration 


 Renfrewshire Council
 Core Paths Plan


 
 Local Plan Alteration


 
 Local Transport Strategy


 Scottish Borders Council
 Core Paths Plan


 
 Structure Plan Alteration 


 
 Supplementary Planning Guidance for Renewable Energy 


 Scottish Environment Protection Agency
 Climate Change Plan


 
 Corporate Plan


 
 Glasgow & Clyde Valley Area Waste Plan


 
 Lothians and Borders Area Waste Plan Alteration 


 
 Scotland River Basin Management Plan


 
 Solway Tweed River Basin Management Plan


 Scottish Natural Heritage
 Biomass Energy and the Natural Heritage


 
 Corporate Plan


 
 Natural Futures Prospectuses Update


 
 Policy Statements on Country and Regional Parks


 
 Rangers In Scotland - Policy Agreement


 Scottish Water
 Integrated Water Plan


 
 National Sludge Recycling Strategy


 
 Resource Plan 2008


 Shetland Islands Council
 Core Paths Plan


 Shetland Regional Transport Partnership
 Regional Transport Strategy


 South Ayrshire Council
 Core Paths Plan


 
 Local Housing Strategy


 
 Local Transport Strategy


 
 Supplementary Planning Open Space & Designing New Residential Developments


 South East Scotland Regional Transport Partnership
 Regional Transport Strategy


 South Lanarkshire Council
 A Fuel Poverty and Domestic Energy Efficiency Strategy


 
 Local Plan


 
 Sustainable Development Strategy


 
 Tourism Action Plan


 South West of Scotland Transport Partnership 
 Regional Transport Strategy


 Sportscotland
 Corporate Plan 2007-2011


 Stirling Council
 Core Paths Plan


 
 Structure Plan Alteration


 Strathclyde Partnership for Transport
 Regional Transport Strategy


 Tayside and Central Scotland Regional Transport Partnership
 Regional Transport Strategy


 The Highland Council
 A96 Corridor Masterplan


 
 Access Strategy


 
 Core Paths Plan


 
 Lochaber Local Plan


 
 Lochcarron Kirkton Development Brief


 
 Renewable Energy Strategy


 
 Skye and Lochalsh Local Plan


 
 Sutherland Local Plan


 
 Torvean Charleston Land Use Framework Development Brief


 The Scottish Government
 A Forward Strategy for Scottish Agriculture: Next Steps


 
 Development Planning Regulations


 
 European Structural Programme ESF for Lowlands and Uplands Scotland


 
 Fish Farm Location / Relocation Programme Principles


 
 Glasgow and Clyde Valley Joint Structure Plan - Draft Modifications


 
 Highlands and Islands ESF Operational Programme 2007 - 2013


 
 National Planning Framework


 
 National Transport Strategy


 
 Permitted Development Rights for Domestic Micro-Renewables


 
 Scotland Rural Development Programme 


 
 Scottish Climate Change Bill 


 
 Scottish Enterprise Operating Plan 2007-2010


 
 Scottish Marine Renewables


 
 Scottish Planning Policy 14 - The Natural Environment


 
 Scottish Planning Policy 23 - The Historic Environment


 
 Scottish Planning Policy 3 - Planning for Housing


 
 Scottish Soil Strategy


 
 Sustainable Flood Management 


 
 The Energy Efficiency and Microgeneration Strategy and Action Plan for Scotland


 Transport Scotland
 Forth Replacement Crossing


 
 Scotland's Railways


 
 Strategic Transport Projects Review


 West Dunbartonshire Council
 Community Plan


 
 Corporate Plan 


 
 Local Plan


 
 Local Transport Strategy


 
 Sustainability Development Strategy


 West Lothian Council
 Core Paths Plan


 
 Determined to Succeed Plan 2006-2008


 
 Local Improvement Plan 2005 - 2008


 
 Local Transport Strategy


 Western Isles Council
 Core Paths Plan


 
 Local Plan


 
 Outer Hebrides Creative Industries Strategy 2006-2009


 
 Outer Hebrides Cultural Strategy 2006-2009

Fisheries

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how many derogations have been granted in the last two years to fishers in respect of their days at sea allocation, broken down by (a) fishing gear type, (b) derogation type and (c) International Council for the Exploration of the Seas sub-area.

Richard Lochhead: Table 1, shows the total number of Scottish-registered vessels benefiting from additional days for derogations under the days at sea regulations for 2006 and 2007. Neither days at sea scheme ran over a calendar year, however, so figures shown in fact represent records of numbers of vessels involved from 1 February 2006 to 31 January 2007 and from 1 February 2007 to date.

  Table 1:

  

Fishing Gear Type
 Derogation
 ICES Area
 No. of Vessels 2006
 No. of Vessels 2007


 4a.ii & 4a.iii, 70-99mm Demersal Trawls
 8.1d, less than 5% cod, plaice and sole during 2002, or observed to catch <5%
 IV, IIa and VIID - North Sea
 102
 99


 4a.iv & 4a.v, 100mm and greater Demersal Trawls
 8.1d, less than 5% cod, plaice and sole during 2002, or observed to catch <5%
 IV, IIa and VIID - North Sea
 17
 14


 4a.iv & 4a.v, 100mm and greater Demersal Trawls
 8.1c, less than 5% cod during 2002
 IV, IIa and VIID - North Sea
 10
 4


 4a.iv & 4a.v, 100mm and greater Demersal Trawls
 8.1h, using >120mm mesh and signed up to system of licence suspensions
 IV, IIa and VIID - North Sea
 45
 59


 4b, Beam Trawls
 8.1c, less than 5% cod during 2002
 IV, IIa and VIID - North Sea
 4
 6


 4b, Beam Trawls
 8.1i, less than 5% cod retained on board
 IV, IIa and VIID - North Sea
 7
 1


 4a.ii & 4a.iii, 70-99mm Demersal Trawls
 8.1d, less than 5% cod, plaice and sole during 2002, or observed to catch <5%
 VI - West of Scotland
 133
 117


 4a.iv & 4a.v, 100mm and greater Demersal Trawls
 8.1d, less than 5% cod, plaice and sole during 2002, or observed to catch <5%
 VI - West of Scotland
 6
 7


 4a.iv & 4a.v, 100mm and greater Demersal Trawls
 8.1c, less than 5% cod during 2002
 VI - West of Scotland
 2
 1


 4a.iv & 4a.v, 100mm and greater Demersal Trawls
 8.1h, using >120mm mesh and signed up to system of licence suspensions
 VI - West of Scotland
 1
 1


 4b, Beam Trawls
 Any
 VI - West of Scotland
 0
 0

Fisheries

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many sea angling charter boats based on the west coast of Scotland have gone out of business in each of the last five years.

Richard Lochhead: The information requested is not available centrally.

Forestry

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria have been established for the forestry sales proposed in the budget which are intended to raise £15 million for reinvestment in woodlands.

Michael Russell: The national forest estate has been subject to a portfolio analysis, objectively assessing each part of the estate against delivery of economic, social and environmental benefits. This analysis will be used to determine priorities for sale of national forest land which contributes little to the delivery of Forestry Commission Scotland’s objectives. Details of the process will be published in the new year as part of a consultation on the framework strategic plan for the national forest estate.

Forestry

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers it appropriate for the Forestry Commission to seek to maximise receipts from the sale of assets when the disposal is to a local voluntary, community-led organisation.

Michael Russell: Forestry Commission Scotland is required to dispose of assets in accordance with the Scottish Public Finance Manual . I have asked for a review of the circumstances under which we might ask Parliament for approval to dispose of national forest land at below market value.

Forestry

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive under what circumstances it considers it appropriate for the Forestry Commission to dispose of assets at less than open market value.

Michael Russell: Forestry Commission Scotland is required to dispose of assets in accordance with the Scottish Public Finance Manual . This requires that parliamentary approval is sought for the disposal of land at below market value. I have asked for a review of the circumstances under which we might ask Parliament for approval to dispose of national forest land at below market value.

Forestry

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will support the Forestry Commission in disposing of assets at less than open market value to voluntary, community-led organisations.

Michael Russell: Forestry Commission Scotland is required to dispose of assets in accordance with the Scottish Public Finance Manual . This requires that parliamentary approval is sought for the disposal of land at below market value. I have asked for a review of the circumstances under which we might ask Parliament for approval to dispose of national forest land at below market value.

Health

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures are in place to provide opportunities for doctors undertaking research or clinical posts to gain access to higher specialist training.

Nicola Sturgeon: An additional 30 training posts at ST3 level across medical specialities have been made available for doctors who either did not apply or were unsuccessful in obtaining a post in 2007 and are now trying to gain a higher specialist training post.

Health

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the Tooke report’s recommendation that trainee doctors should have more than one chance of entry into the speciality of their choice.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government is currently consulting on the recommendations made in the Tooke report.

Health

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what advice has been given to doctors completing research posts on the options available to them to enter higher specialist training.

Nicola Sturgeon: Doctors in research posts receive career advice from their clinical or medical supervisors. In addition, medical deaneries are able to provide careers advice to all doctors.

Health

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to ensure that, in addition to doctors in specialist training at ST2 level, all doctors currently engaged in advanced postgraduate research, including those studying for higher degrees such as MD, will have an equal opportunity to apply for ST3 training posts.

Nicola Sturgeon: All trainee doctors with appropriate qualifications and experience can apply for specialty training posts. An additional 30 training posts at ST3 level have been created this year across medical specialities. This should ensure that there are sufficient places available for those who wish to apply for higher specialty training but who are not currently in an ST2 post.

Housing

Alasdair Allan (Western Isles) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has for utilising empty housing in the highlands and islands, with particular emphasis on attracting a younger workforce to live and work in the Western Isles.

Stewart Maxwell: Local authorities, as strategic housing bodies are required to produce Local Housing Strategies which set out plans to address housing needs in their areas.

  In 2007 local authorities were specifically asked to consider, when updating their Local Housing Strategies, how they could take action on empty homes to help tackle housing need anywhere in their areas. Comhairle nan Eilean Siar intends to commission research into empty homes in the Western Isles.

  The Western Isles Local Housing Strategy 2004-09 contains an objective to bring back into use 15 empty homes to provide affordable accommodation in the Greater Stornoway area by 2009. The Strategy also contains an objective to support the inward migration of at least 30 households on average a year.

NHS Hospitals

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many hospitals are now operating the Hospital at Night system.

Nicola Sturgeon: In relation to the number of hospitals operating this system, this information is not held centrally. Hospital at Night (H@N) is however operational in the majority of the NHS Scotland health boards.

NHS Hospitals

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to introduce the Hospital at Night system in hospitals, in light of reductions in junior doctors’ hours and changes in their working practices that reduce patient contact.

Nicola Sturgeon: Compliance with the reduction in working hours for doctors in training under the New Deal contract and the Working Time Regulations (WTR) is the responsibility of NHS boards as employers. The Scottish Government aims to help the NHS to achieve compliance and has issued a number of pieces of guidance, disseminated information on good practice arising from work carried out elsewhere in the UK and has held seminars and (Hospital at Night) H@N Forums.

  H@N is one of a series of measures NHS Scotland boards are currently introducing to help facilitate compliance with the European Working Time Directive by the target date of August 2009. Boards have appointed H@N co-ordinators whose task is to facilitate the introduction of H@N schemes and new ways of working to ensure the continued provision of safe and sustainable services for patients while maintaining the educational experience and reducing the hours that junior doctors work.

NHS Staff

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any meetings have taken place with the Scottish Cardiac Society in relation to higher specialist training in cardiology.

Nicola Sturgeon: There have been no meetings with the Scottish Cardiac Society to discuss specialist training in cardiology.

NHS Staff

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to review the way in which higher specialist training posts for doctors are allocated.

Nicola Sturgeon: Selection for all medical specialities is made through fair and open competition, with offers of training posts being made on the basis of an applicant’s ranking at interview and their preferences for specialty, programme and location. There are no plans to change this.

NHS Staff

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it intends to take to ensure that selection procedures and entry into higher specialist training in cardiology are conducted on the basis of open and fair competition.

Nicola Sturgeon: Recruitment and selection to all speciality training posts is carried out on the basis of fair and open competition. The competences required for each specialty have been widely disseminated, through the medical Royal Colleges, PMETB and the NHS Education for Scotland websites. The criteria used at interview will be based on these specialty-specific competences. Offers of training posts will be made on the basis of an applicant’s ranking at interview and their preferences for specialty, programme and location.

Schools

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many times since May 2007 it has intervened to prevent a school closure.

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the schools where it has intervened to prevent closure since May 2007, also showing the reason for the intervention.

Maureen Watt: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-5512 on 7 November 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Water Services etc (Scotland) Act 2005

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-7537 by Michael Russell on 13 December 2007, what information it can provide concerning the enforcement notice served by a local authority under section 26 of the Water Services etc (Scotland) Act 2005.

Richard Lochhead: The one enforcement notice was served on 11 July 2007 by North Ayrshire Council on Scottish Water under section 26 of the Water Services etc (Scotland) Act 2005 and was in relation to Largs wastewater treatment works in Ayrshire. At the time, the Largs waste water treatment works was in the commissioning stages and had not been formally adopted by Scottish Water.

  The enforcement notice was in relation to failure of the odour control unit, malodour arising from specific parts of the works and general housekeeping issues.

  Scottish Water ensured that remedial actions were undertaken to address the issues mentioned in the enforcement notice. Dialogue continued and there were site visits involving Scottish Water and local authority officers.

  In a letter dated 29 October 2007, North Ayrshire Council concluded that no further action was necessary in regard to the enforcement notice.